Machine for printing collapsible tubes.



PATENTED NOV 17, 1903. j

P. F. INGRAM. MACHINE FORPRINTING GOLLAPSIBLE TUBES.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 7- 1902.

N0 MODEL.

w: NORRIS vzvzns o0. Pnoruu'mo. WASHINGTON, D. c.

No. T4455 1.

V UNITED STATES,

Patented November 17, 190s.

PATENT OFFICE.

MACHINE FOR PRINTING COLLAPSIBLE TUBES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 744,554, dated.November 17, 1903.

Application filed October '7, 1902. Serial lib-126,349. (No model.)

It is the object of the invention to obtain.

a machine by means of which the outer surfaces of the tubes may beprinted.

The printing of tubes of this character is an exceedingly difficultoperation to perform.

This is for the reason that the materialof which the tubes are made isthin and pliable, so it is easily thrown out of shape. over, the tubesare usually of small diameter. As a consequence tubes of this characterhave usually been marked with printed labelsaffixed to the surfacethereof,or when the prin-tingor marking is placed directly upon the tubeit is done by hand operation. It is the object of my invention to obtaina machine which is adapted to rapidly print the surfaces of the tubeswithout danger of destroying the shape or blurring the printedcharacters.

To this end the invention consists, first, in;

the peculiar construction of the holder or mandrel upon which the tubesare 'placed during the printing; further, in thepeculiar constructionand arrangement of said mandrel in relation to the type-form, togethertached.

More'-' in rolling contact with said mandrel. I do not wish, however, tobe limited in this conconstruction, as it is evident that any means ofsecuring the same relative movement between the mandrel and type-formwould operate satisfactorily. Thus the mandrel might remain stationaryif the type-form were rotated around the same, or both mandrel andtype-form might be moved in relation to other parts of the mechanism.

In the construction shown, A is a suitable bed or frame, upon which ismounted in the stationary bearings B a revoluble shaft 0. This shaft isarranged to extend horizontally across the bed and has secured thereto amandrel D. The mandrel is preferably of cylindrical form and ofadiameter slightly less than that of the collapsibletubeto be placedthereon. Where tubes of different diameters are to be printed upon thesame machine, a

number of mandrels of corresponding sizes may be provided, any one ofwhich may b attached to the shaft 0. 1

The collapsible tubes E are usually drawn from, a single piece of metaland have threaded tips F, formed integral therewith at one end, andthese tips are closed by corresponding threaded caps G. The printing ofthe tubes is effected before the opposite ends thereof have been closed.The body portion of the tube is thus in the form of a cylinder which isopened at one end, while the opposite end is closed by the tip Fand capG. To place the tubes upon the mandrel, the operator may take hold ofthe cap G and then slip the open-ended body portion of the tube over theend of the mandrel. Inasmuch as size as the tube and as the outer end ofthe tube is completely closed it is evident that the air inside of thetube would be trapped therein. This would prevent the operator themandrel 'is of approximately the same from quickly slipping the tubecompletely onto the mandrel and might also cause the crimping orcollapsing of the tube'by end pressure thereon. I haveavoidedthisdifticulty by providing an air-vent extending from the outerend of the mandrel to a point beyond the end of the tube when placedthereon. As shown, this vent H is formed by making the shaft 0 hollowand providing a lateral opening or port I at a point beyond the bearing13. Thus the air within the tube is free to pass through this vent andwill not interfere with the rapid placing of the tube upon the mandrel.

J is a type-form containing the characters to be printed upon themandrel. This form is secured to the carrier K, which, as shown, ismounted upon guides L, extending longitudinally of the bed, thearrangement being such that by moving the carrier upon said guides thetype-form J will be carried past andin contact with the periphery of themandrel. The type-form is preferably yieldingly pressed toward themandrel by suitable means, such as the springs M, surrounding the post Non the carrier K, upon which the form J is mounted.

In order that the tubes may be printed without danger of blurring, it isnecessary that the outer surfaces thereof should move in rolling contactwith the face of the typeform when the latter is traveling upon theguides L. It is also essential that no lateral strain should be exertedupon the metal of the tube, as this would result in injury. I thereforeprovide means for revolving the mandrel at a peripheral speed which isthe same as the longitudinal speed of the traveling type-form. This isaccomplished by arranging a pinion O on the shaft 0 adjacent to the endof the mandrel or attached directly to the mandrel, said pinion having apitchdiameter which is the same as the diameter of the mandrel. Thepinion O meshes with the rack P, which is carried by the carrier K.

Theinkingofthe type-form is accomplished by means of an inking-roll Q,secured to the frame at a point where it will contact with the faces ofthe type-form at one point in its movement. Ink may be supplied to thisroll by any suitable means, that shown comprising an ink-plate R, whichis secured to the carrier K.

The parts being constructed as shown and described, in operation thetubes may be successively placed upon and removed from the mandrel whenthe type-form is out of engagement therewith. The operator may thenreciprocate the carrier K by means of a suitable handle S, which willcause the movement of the type-form across the face of the mandrel andthe simultaneous rotation of said mandrel through the medium of the rackP and pinion 0. As the type-form passes the mandrel the springs M willyieldingly press the same against the outer face of the type, and as theperipheral speed of said tube and longitudinal speed of the type are thesame a perfect impression is produced. Each reciprocation of the carrierwill cause the inking of the type-face by contact with the roll Q, whilethe latter will be supplied with fresh ink through contact with theplate R. The ink applied to the face of the type by contact with theroll is generally sufficient to make two impressions, and thus theoperator may remove the printed tube and place the unprinted one uponthe mandrel when the carrier is at each end of its movement.

The success of the operation of the machine depends upon providing amandrel which is so formed as to support the tube and press it incontact with the type-form without exerting any strain upon the metal.This result may be obtained where the peripheral speed of the mandrel isprecisely the same as that of the type-form, the thickness of the tubebeing so slight as to make no appreciable difference between the speedof its inner and outer surface. Another important feature of theconstruction is the means by which the entrapped air within the tube isreleased, thereby relieving the walls of the tube from any strain whenplacing it or removing it from the mandrel.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a machine of the characterdescribed, the combination with a type-form, of a cylindrical mandrel,adapted to receive and support a collapsible tube, means for revolvingsaid mandrel and coacting means for relatively moving said type-form atthe same speed to maintain a rolling contact with the tube on themandrel and means for yieldingly pressing said type-form against thesurface of said tube during said rolling contact.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination with alongitudinally-movable type-form, of a cylindrical mandrel supported atone end and adapted to receive upon its free end and to support acollapsible tube, means for reciprocating said type-form and coactingmeans for rotating said mandrel at the same speed to maintain rollingcontact between the tube thereon and the type-form.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination with alongitudinally-movable type-form, of a cylindrical mandrel supported atone end and adapted to receive upon its free end and to support acollapsible tube, means for reciprocating said type-form and coactingmeans for rotating said mandrel at the same speed to maintain rollingcontact between the tube thereon and the type-form and means foryieldingly pressing said typeform against the tube during the rollingcontact.

4. In a machine of the character described the combination with alongitudinally-movable type-form provided with a rack, of a cylindricalmandrel supported at one end and adapted to receive upon its free endand to support a collapsible tube, and a pinion secured-upon themandrel-shaft arranged to engage with the rack on the type-form when thesame is reciprocated to maintain a rolling contact between the tube onthe mandrel and the type-form.

5. In a machine of the character described the combination with alongitudinally-movable type-form provided with a rack, of a cylindricalmandrel supported atone end and said type-form against the tube duringsaid adapted to receive upon its free end and to rolling contact.

support a collapsible tube, a pinion secured with the rack on thetype-form when the same is reciprocated to maintain a rolling contactbetween the tube on the mandrel and the type-form, and means foryieldingly pressing In testimony whereof I aflix my signature upon themandrel-shaft arranged to engage in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK F. INGRAM.

Witnesses:

M. B. ODOGHERTY, A. G. ROBERTSON.'

